FAQ: e-CAM51_USB - 5 MP OEM USB Camera Module

 1. Auto Focus    1.1 What type of focus is supported by e-CAM51_USB ?   Single triggered autofocus   1.2 Is continuous autofocus supported?   No currently only single triggered autofocus is supported.   1.3 Can I adjust focus manually?   Yes, manual focus is supported. Please see Video 1.4 Can I get the the focus position of the camera module in software?   Yes, this is possible.   1.5 What is the motor type in the e-CAM51_USB ?   The autofocus motor is a VCM(Voice coil motor).   1.6 Does the autofocus algorithm run from the e-CAM51_USB or is it done from the PC side software?   The autofocus algorithm runs on the e-CAM51_USB . 1.7 The standard UVC doesn't support autofocus. So is there any special drivers needed for this?   The standard UVC doesn't support autofocus. e-con provides UVC extension DLLs for this purpose to support features like autofocus, GPIO etc. These DLLs are application level code and hence there is no driver development needed.   1.8 What is the minimum distance of Autofocus?   The minimum distance is 10cm(4").   1.9 What is the minimum distance of capture?   The minimum distance is 10cm(4"). 1.10 Can I do a autofocus at 40mm?   See question number 1.8.   1.11 Can I do a focus at 40mm?   We have product called See3CAM_CU55 with S-mount(M12) lens holder will suit your requirements.  2. Host/OS requirements   2.1 What are the operating systems supported?   The operating systems supported are Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 and Linux.   2.2 In which of the Ubuntu distribution versions,e-CAM51_USB is tested?   Ubuntu 14.04, 14.10 and 16.04   2.3 Do I have to install any device drivers in Windows or Linux?   The camera is a plug and play camera. There is no need of any drivers getting installed.   2.4 Can I have it working under MAC?   Yes, it is supported in MAC. We also have sample application to test it.

Want more information on Camera Module Hd? Feel free to contact us.

e-CAM51_USB on MAC OS v10

For more info on this please contact sales@e-consystems.com

  2.5 What are the various distributions of Linux supported?   We are supporting the Ubuntu distribution of Linux.   2.6 I have a USB 1.1 host. Will this camera work on that?   e-CAM51_USB shall support only QVGA streaming @10fps. Still capture at QVGA only is possible.   2.7 Does the e-CAM51_USB work under Android?   Please download our Webeecam Free-USB Web Camera to test this camera in Android. Webeecam is an android USB Camera application for connecting external USB web camera to Android phone/Tablet and to take high resoultion images or record videos. Webeecam supports any camera that conforms to the USB Video Class Specification(UVC).

  

Features:

• You do not need a root device
• Video Size: SD(640X480), HD (1280X720)
• Recording - You can set the sound on/off (uses the device's internal microphone and not the microphone in USB camera)
• Camera control: All supported commands of the camera are controllable - Auto focus, Exposure, Brightness, Contrast, Hue, Saturation, Sharpness, Gamma, Gain, White Balance, Backlight compensation, Power line frequency, Camera reset settings.
• Still image capture - All image resolutions supported by the connected USB camera
• Recorded video and captured image file viewer

  

For more information, please visit Night Vision USB Cam.

Currently supported e-con Cameras:

• See3CAM_CU130 - 13.0 MP USB 3.0 Camera (Color)
• e-CAM51_USB - 5.0 MP HD USB Camera
• See3CAM_10CUG - 1.3 MP USB 3 Camera (Monochrome)
• See3CAM_11CUG - 1.3 MP USB 3 Camera (Color)

  2.8 Does the e-CAM51_USB work iPhone or iPad?   No. The iPhone/iPad does not support USB host with ISO.   3. Customization request   3.1 The PCB dimensions doesn't match the ones I am looking for. Can I get the PCB size customized to my dimension requirement?   Yes, this can be done. In fact e-con specializes in these type of customizations. For more information on USB Camera board customization, please contact sales@e-consystems.com. The hardware and firmware customization require some minimum order quantity to fulfill the customization   3.2 I would like to mount the camera module on the e-CAM51_USB in the middle instead of in the corner as in the current PCB. How do it do it   This calls for PCB customization. Please see Question 3.1.   3.3 I would like to have the Audio and GPIO removed. How do I get them?   Please see Question 3.1.   3.4 Can I have more GPIOs on the board?   Yes, this can be done. This calls for additional circuitry. Please see question number 3.1.   3.5 How do I support LED flash on the e-CAM51_USB ?   The e-CAM51_USB currently consumes around 400mA max when the camera, microphone and the GPIO all work simultaneously. So the LED flash should be identified with a max sourcing current of <100mA. If the audio and GPIOs are removed then this further increases the overall current sourcing. Yes, this customization can be done and requires PCB customization. Please see question 3.1.   3.6 I would like to have multiple LEDs like a ring lighting. Do I have enough power on this?   Please see question 3.5   3.7 I need the e-CAM51_USB with a different lens so that it can meet my viewing angle(field of view) requirements. How do I do it?   This needs USB camera module customization. These are plastic lenses and if the lens customization of the requested FOV is not possible then we need to go for standard S mount or C mount options where you can mount the lens of your choice? For more info on this please contact sales@e-consystems.com   3.8 Can I have the camera module replaced with a choice of mine?   Yes, we do this. Since this involves 3-4 months of integration and more details are required please write to sales@e-consystems.com   3.9 Can I have a different sensor instead of the OV5640 image sensor used in the e-CAM51_USB ?   Please see question number 3.8. Supporting a different sensor is subject to volume commitment and technical feasibility.   3.10 Can I have the e-CAM51_USB with the camera module having the IR filter removed?   Yes, 5MP USB camera part number, e-CAM51_USB _NIRFS is without IR Filter can be purchased directly from our webstore   3.11 I don't want the standard USB Mini-B connector on the e-CAM51_USB . I just need a header instead. Can you support this?   Yes, we can customize the e-CAM51_USB for this with some minimum order quantity commitment. This requires a PCB change.   4. Software support   4.1 Do you provide source code of application?   For Windows, source code is provided on NDA terms. For Linux, it is free.   4.2 I have searched the documenation of the e-CAM51_USB and I am not able to get the list of API that is used for getting and setting the various parameters of camera?   Most of the APIs used are DirectShow API that is provided by Microsoft. These documentation are available as part of MSDN. Here is the link http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd407331%28v=vs.85%29.aspx. e-CAMView just uses these APIs to get and set the various parameters of the camera.   4.3 I am using C#. How do I integrate the e-CAMView software in to my code.   Our Camera is USB Video Class(UVC) compatible device. So using Microsoft DirectShow application Interface you can access the data of our camera. DirectShow(DShow) is a COM based API.Microsoft doesn't support DirectShow APIs in .NET framework. But check out this open source project in the sourceforge for DirectShow based on .net http://directshownet.sourceforge.net/   4.4 I want to set the camera properties from the software. How can I do that?   There are DirectShow API functions that allow you to read the current settings of each camera property and also manually set those properties with different value. Please refer Question 4.3 above.   5. Output format and Resolution   5.1 What are the outputs formats of streaming?   YUV and MJPEG are supported.   5.2 Can I have RGB streaming?   No. Only YUV and MJPEG.   5.3 Will e-CAM51_USB support High Definition streaming?   720p@30 fps is possible in MJPEG format.. The camera frame rate depends on the ambient light.   5.4 Where can I get information on the various resolutions and the Video streaming rates I will get?   Please see our 5 MegaPixel USB Board camera page   5.5 I need a raw Bayer RGB format streaming from the USB camera. How do I have that?   This is not possible thorough hardware customization but this requires controller change and firmware change.   5.6 What are the still capture formats supported?   BMP and JPEG formats of still capture is supported.   5.7 I am not able to see the full FOV video from your sample application when previewing resolutions larger than my display.   Yes, the current e-CAMView does not support scaling down of preview video while displaying. We only crop the preview video and display on the screen. You can write a DirectShow application to scale down and display.     6. Camera parameters   6.1 What are the various camera parameters which we can set through the e-CAMView software ?   Parameters such as brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, gain, sharpness can be set only manually. For the parameters white balance, exposure and focus there is an option to switch between manual and auto mode. For more information on this please refer the

5 MP USB Board Camera Demo Video   6.2 What is the sensor used inside the e-CAM51_USB ?   It is the OV5640 image sensor from OmniVision Inc.   6.3 What is the viewing angle supported?   The viewing angle is about 60deg.   6.4 I need a viewing angle of 120 degrees. How do I get it?   If you are sure about the exact viewing angle then we can go for customization of the camera module e-CAM52A_5640_MOD. Please contact sales@e-consystems.com for more information.   6.5 Does the camera module have an IR cut filter on it?   Yes/No. e-CAM51B_USB - Yes, e-CAM51_USB_NIRFS - No   6.6 What type of lens mount is used? Can I have a S mount or a C mount lens?   A normal plastic lens is mounted.     7. Audio and GPIO   7.1 What is the voltage and current levels for the input and output pins in the GPIO?   Please refer the datasheet for more details.   7.2 Can I use the GPIO to externally trigger still capture?   Yes. There is a dedicated pin to trigger the still capture. The DirectShow application should have been written in such a way that still image is transferred to the PC from a different interface. This hardware still trigger works only on Windows Operating Systems. Please see the datasheet for more details. The e-CAMView application supports this feature, where you can set the path for storing the captured images and you can press the key to capture image. The captured image is stored automatically in the PC. This is one of the unique features of the e-CAM51_USB . You can use one of the GPIOs to externally trigger a still capture. This can be used when we want an external event to trigger the capture of images.     8. Miscellaneous   8.1 What are the warranty terms of the e-CAM51_USB ?   For warranty, please see www.e-consystems.com/warranty.asp.   8.2 What is the stable operating range of e-CAM51_USB ?   The e-CAM51_USB operates from 0 to 50 degrees.   8.3 What is the power consumption of the e-CAM51_USB ?   The e-CAM51_USB consumes a max of 400mA at full operation (with GPIO, camera and MIC in operation). The standby mode current is around 1mA (without audio and GPIO).   8.4 Is this camera FCC/CE certified?   The e-CAM51_USB is a OEM USB camera module. e-con Systems expects customers to integrate the e-CAM51_USB in their target products and go for certifications.   8.5 What is the lighting condition under which we can capture some good pictures?   Starting at 50Lux the e-CAM51_USB can start capturing pictures. However atleast 500 Lux is recommended to achieve good quality pictures. The lighting condition is directly linked with the frame rate achievable from the camera. If the lighting is low, then the frame rate will drop drastically.   8.6 What is the length of the USB cable supplied along with the e-CAM51_USB ?   The standard cable is 3ft long.      After I have purchased e-CAM51_USB   1 I have received the e-CAM51_USB camera. How do I know that I have received it correctly?   Plug the e-CAM51_USB in to a Windows 7 machine and you should see it enumerated on the machine and it show it in your device manager. Please refer the

e-CAM51_USB Demo Video   2 I have used the e-CAMView application and I would need the source code for this to integrate this in to my software.   Source code is provided under NDA. For source code of e-CAMView application, please contact sales@e-consystems.com   3 I would like to have multiple e-CAM51_USB cameras connected to my computer. But when I connect more than 2 the videos do not show up.   Currently, each of the USB cameras take up the full pipeline and hence you cannot connect more than 2 to a single computer even if you have two host controllers. e-con has done customizations for customers where the USB firmware is rewritten to suit this condition. Interested customers can contact sales@e-consystems.com.   4 I have the source code of the e-CAMView application but there is no documentation. The documentation is available only for the UVC extensions and not for the basic source code.   The e-CAMView uses the DirectShow API provided by Microsoft for UVC drivers. So, if you are familiar with DirectShow programming, you should be able to easily get the parameters from the USB camera. Please check this link http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd407331%28v=vs.85%29.aspx for more info.   5 I have done an autofocus on my camera and I am trying to read the focus position of the camera. How can I do this?   Please read the UVC extension documentation and also the e-CAMView source provided that lets you read the focus position.   6 I would like to read the exposure values that are currently set by the autoexposure. I would then want to set this manually.   When the autoexposure is set, the ISP inside the OV5640 image sensor that is part of the e-CAM51_USB takes over and the usage of which is currently unknown to e-con Systems. So, currently we don't support this feature of reading back the exposure value.   7 I would like to read back the brightness, contrast parameters I have set . How do I do that?   UVC doesn't allow you to get the parameters of Brightness, contrast, sharpness and allows only to set the parameters. Hence this isn't supported by the DirectShow API provided by Microsoft. So, e-CAMView doesn't provide this.   8 Can I read and write all the camera parameters?   Except for focus, all the other parameters can be only written and not read back.   9 Can I try to use the camera with fixed exposure and gain, manipulating with the light source intensity ?   Yes, this can be done. The exposure and the gain can be adjusted manually. Please see the

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Night Vision USB Camera.

e-CAM51_USB Video   10 I would like to the camera module a bit away from the e-CAM51_USB . How do I do that?   The camera module has to be customized. The performance suffers if we increase the length. This is not recommended. This calls for customization for camera module. Please write to sales@e-consystems.com for this.   11 Though the datasheet claims to be 30fps at VGA, I am hardly seeing this happen. I am getting only 20fps.   At around 1000 lux, the e-CAM51_USB can stream at 30fps. But anything less than this the frame rates are going to gradually drop. Also refer question number 5.4.   This is known limitation on the default MJPG decoder in the Windows 7 OS. To solve this issue, Please install the third party demo MJPEG decoder package which is part of the deliverable. But just capturing the still in higher resolution will not have any issue.   12 I have configured the camera preview output as 5MP in MJPEG format and this is not working. This is showing some error as "Error PIN_CATEGORY_PREVIEW"   The default codec in Microsoft Windows Operating Systems do not support 5MP MJPEG decoding. You have to install a third party MJPEG Decoder (MainConcept MJPEG decoder) that is provided as part our software installation package. Only after installing this, you can view 5MP MJPEG on Windows (Operating systems).   13 I don't want to install any third party software on my PC including the demo codec you have supplied in your package. But I want to see 5MP preview. How can I do?   You can configure the camera preview as 5MP in YUV format. For 5MP YUV format, you don't need to install any additional codec supplied by us.   14 I am using e-CAMView along with e-CAM51_USB . I am not able to achieve 30fps at VGA. I am getting only 15 to 18fps only.   As we have mentioned earlier, please check the ambient light. If your ambient light is less, the frame rate will drop.   15 What is the minimum frame rate that we can get?   Please refer the datasheet for minimum frame rate for each supported resolution. The firmware is configured to support this frame rate even if you close the camera lens with your fingers.   16 What is the glue used to stick the camera module with the PCB?   We are using 3M stickers for glueing the camera to PCB.   17 I am configuring the e-CAM51_USB in manual focus mode and I am able to set the manual focus position and capture a still image. After capturing the still image, the preview comes back and the camera does an autofocus again. The camera should not do an autofocus as it is in manual focus mode?   Yes, this is a known limitation. We don't have any work around for this. After the still capture, the preview resolution is loaded after resetting the sensor. Hence it automatically does an autofocus.   18 can I set the shutter time?   No, shutter programming is not supported. But you can adjust the manual exposure in about 10 levels.   19 When I connect the e-CAM51_USB to a new host port, the Windows OS searches for driver to install? This is taking up more time. Why is this happening?   When the e-CAM51_USB inserted to the new USB host port, the Windows Update searches for the latest drivers from Windows Update site. This takes up time and hence the delay. If no latest driver is found, then it installs the stick driver.